Jaguar recovery – N.Y. Times "Letter to the Editor"

0

I support the United States Fish and Wildlife Service’s decision to develop a recovery plan for the jaguar and encourage this agency to reclaim authority over jaguar recovery in the United States.

Listed as an endangered species in 1997 under the Endangered Species Act, the jaguar has lacked a federally mandated recovery plan. Management of the jaguar was relegated to the wildlife departments of Arizona and New Mexico, which formed the Jaguar Conservation Team. The death last year of Macho B, the last known jaguar in the Southwest, highlighted the team’s lack of vision for a long-term recovery plan.

The protection of jaguar habitat benefits less charismatic endangered species as well. Sky Island Alliance and its partners have proposed habitat protection through wilderness designation. Representative Raúl M. Grijalva of Arizona has introduced a bill in Congress to protect more than 80,000 acres of public land in southern Arizona.

There may soon be another jaguar moving into Macho B’s territory.

Sergio AvilaTucson, Jan. 26, 2010

The writer is a wildlife biologist for Sky Island Alliance, a conservation group.

A wonderful way to support the cats at no cost to you is to go to your Amazon.com account and sign up for Amazon Smile to have .5% of your purchases donated to Big Cat Rescue.

Cat Quiz

Help Feed Big Cats

One of the best ways to help is through general donations that can be used however it is most needed at the time.To make a general donation just click the Donate Now button below. This is the best way to give as it has the lowest credit card processing fees and is immediate help for the cats.

Big Cat Rescue is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, FEID 59-3330495. Florida law requires that all charities soliciting donations disclose their registration number and the percentage of your donation that goes to the cause and the amount that goes to the solicitor. We do not utilize professional solicitors, so 0% of your donation goes to a professional solicitor, 100% goes to Big Cat Rescue. Non-program expenses are funded from tour income, so 100% of your donations go to supporting the cats and stopping the abuse.A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION FOR BIG CAT RESCUE, A FL-BASED NONPROFIT CORPORATION (REGISTRATION NO. CH 11409), MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE 1-800-435-7352 WITHIN THE STATE OR BY VISITING www.800helpfla.com. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.